[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 205 (Friday, October 23, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56913-56914]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-28509]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 101598D]
Marine Mammals; Permit No. 926
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Receipt of application for amendment.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Dr. Robin W. Baird, Dalhousie
University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4J1, Canada, has requested an
amendment to scientific research Permit No. 959.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before November 23,
1998.
ADDRESSES: The amendment request and related documents are available
for review upon written request or by appointment in the following
office(s):
Permits Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-
West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/713-2289);
Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, National Marine Fisheries
Service, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213
(562/980-4001); and
Protected Resources Program Manager, Pacific Islands Area Office,
2570 Dole Street, Room 106, Honolulu, HI 96822-2396 (808/973-2987).
Written data or views, or requests for a public hearing on this
request should be submitted to the Chief, Permits Division, F/PR1,
Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service,
Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those individuals requesting a hearing should
set forth the specific reasons why a hearing on this particular request
would be appropriate.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeannie Drevenak, 301/713-2289.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment is requested under the
authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (16
U.S.C. 1361 et seq.),the Regulations Governing the Taking and Importing
of Marine Mammals (50 CFR Part 216), the Endangered Species Act of 1973
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and the regulations governing endangered fish
and wildlife permits (50 CFR Parts 217-222).
The Permit Holder is currently authorized to: radio tag via suction
cup attachment, killer whales (Orcinus orca) and Dall's porpoise
(Phocoenoides dalli) annually in the waters of Washington, Southeast
Alaska, Oregon, and California over a five year period; and to suction-
cup TDR/VHF tag the following additional species of cetaceans: Baird's
beaked whales (Berardius bairdii), Cuvier's beaked whales (Ziphius
cavirostris), sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), northern right
whale dolphins (Lissodelphis borealis), Pacific white-sided dolphins
(Lagenorhynchus obliquidens), Risso's dolphins (Grampus griseus),
short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus), false killer
whales (Pseudorca crassidens), minke whales (Balaenoptera
acutorostrata), and gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus).
The Permit Holder is now requesting authorization to: (1) expand
the geographic research area to include Hawaii waters; (2) include
suction-cup TDR/VHF tagging of several additional species of marine
mammals found in Hawaii waters (i.e., spotted dolphins (Stenella
attenuata), spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris), rough-toothed
dolphins (Steno bredanensis), pygmy killer whales (Feresa attenuata),
melon headed whales (Peponocephala electra), Blainville's or dense
beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris), and humpback whales (Megaptera
novaeangliae)); and (3) collect photo-identification and behavioral
information on small odontocetes in Hawaii waters (i.e., those
odontocete species listed above as well as bottlenose dolphins
(Tursiops truncatus) and those species which are currently covered in
the existing permit that are found in Hawaii waters (i.e., short-finned
pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus), false killer whales
(Pseudorca crassidens), Cuvier's beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris),
sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), Risso's dolphins (Grampus
griseus), and killer whales (Orcinus orca).
The primary goal of the proposed research on the subject species is
to study their diving behavior using time-depth recorder data.
Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of this application to the Marine
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.
[[Page 56914]]
Dated: October 20, 1998.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-28509 Filed 10-22-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
